Edible insects, particularly crickets, are becoming popular due to their nutritional value and efficiency in foodconversion. An increasing number of farmers in Kenya are seeking information on rearing crickets (Orthoptera:Gryllidae) for food and feed. The locals are gradually embracing Acheta domesticus and Gryllus bimiculatus as the species of choice. This paper discusses how cricket farming was introduced to farmers in Bondo and Kabondo in Kenya. The initial crickets were picked from their natural habitat and carefully selected for domestication. Theselected crickets were fed on vegetables and chicken mash and bulked in plastic cages. The insects were carefully nurtured to lay eggs and a large colony was formed for multiplication purposes. Upon maturity, proximate analysiswas done to determine their nutritional value. Some were processed into different dishes for human consumption. Products were subjected to microbial tests at the Kenya Bureau of Standards to verify safety for human consumption. Consumers were invited to taste the processed products. After 3 years into the project, about 50 farmers haveembraced cricket farming around the Lake Victoria region. A. domesticus proved easy for rearing at household levelconditions. Food nutrients identified on dry weight were: 47% protein, 10% carbohydrates, and 25% fat. Minerals included sodium (8,502 µg/g), copper (29.4 µg/g), calcium (3,147.7 µg/g), potassium (9,797.5 µg/g), iron (51.8 µg/g), phosphorus (331.3 µg/g), manganese (58.7 µg/g) and zinc (21.8 µg/g). Vitamins included vitamin A (retinol; 0.35 µg/g), vitamin B2 (riboflavin; 6.3 µg/g), vitamin B1 (thiamine; 15.2 µg/g), and vitamin E (331 µg/g). Children were particularly attracted to biscuits and the fried foods such as fritters, samosa and pancakes. Cricket farming can be embraced as a mini-livestock by farmers in varied agro-ecological conditions in the lake region in Kenya. However, increased consumption of crickets to ensure food security is yet to be observed.

Entomophagy has led to the recognition of insects as playing a major role in improving global environmental health, food, and nutritional security. The processing methods have shown to greatly affect its acceptance and consumption. This review selectively summarizes the current trends related to consumption of edible insects among householders, the food and beverage industry consumers, and its prospects as a key attractant in tourism destinations. Its unconventional processing techniques have hindered its growth especially in the food business industry, thus influencing the food value chain in entomophagy. The paper reviews perceptions on insects' consumption by identifying already developed processing methods, emphasizing on the health benefits of entomophagy and its economic importance. A structured literature search is conducted to identify published studies on edible-insects product processing, food design, its acceptance, and consumption in the food industry. The literature search is focused on its acceptance as whole consumption or after product development and whether it can be accepted in the food industry in its new form. It was observed that Europe has the highest publications on acceptance, public perception, processing technology, and research trends. Africa tends to prefer whole consumption, as the Americans is still have not taken a stand. Results reveal that processing of the insects and incorporating other ingredients have greatly increased acceptance of edible insects. Therefore, we conclude that new food designs that incorporate insects as special ingredient should be promoted in main stream hotels to attract food and culture tourism.